Photo: Kano Govt empowers limbless Rahma Haruna and her family with foodstuffs and cash gifts ~ Gistwood

Photo: Kano Govt empowers limbless Rahma Haruna and her family with foodstuffs and cash gifts

Kano State Govt through the state Commissioner for Women Affair, Barr. Zubaida Damakka Abubakar empowered the family of Rahma Haruna, a limbless 19-year old girl of Lahadin Makole in Dawakin Kudu local government area of Kano state.

Rahma, who has no functional limbs but tiny appendages in the position of arms and legs, is being moved about in a synthetic washbasin by a young cousin, to beg for alms in Kano city, about 26 kilometers from her village. The earnings help in sustaining the family of four.

Her father, Haruna Muhammad said her challenge started when she was 6 months old and largely due to poverty, he could not take her for specialized medical attention. He had sold his farm and personal belongings but no progress was recorded in her treatment. At last, he resigned to the sad fate, which many people in his community seem to believe, that her condition is the handiwork of evil spirits.
Because of her condition, the poor girl cannot do virtually anything without the support of a family member. She and her brother, who carries her to solicit alms to feed the poor family, do not go to school.

While presenting the donation of empowerment items to the family on Friday, January 29, the Commissioner of Women Affairs, Barr. Zubaida Damakka said the state government is touched by the condition of the girl stressing that the government would do all it could to see that Rahma does not feel forsaken.

"Government would continue to look after her welfare to ensure that she lives as comfortable as possible and to make sure that she does not beg because of her physical challenge" the commissioner assured.

Barrister Zubaida stated that she was “amazed by the girl's zeal to do something meaning for herself rather than the usual street begging which she and her younger brother engaged in”, adding that the donation was meant to empower the family so that they can earn a living decently and take their children to school.

Items donated to the girl’s mother to start a business include 10 cartons of noodles, 2 bags of detergent, 10 cartons of biscuits, 2 bags of semovita, 2 bag of rice, a sack of soya bean, 2 gallons of cooking oil 25 liters each and the sum of twenty thousand naira.